Oct 244 min read

Testament, Kreator bring "Klash of the Titans" Tour to Denver, Colorado’s Fillmore Auditorium 10-22-2024

As I walked up to the box office window to get my credentials to cover this show last night, I knew one thing for sure, this would be a night of metal. Heavy, Death, and Thrash metal. The lights dropped and a roar from the crowd followed as the members of Possessed made their onto the stage followed by vocalist Jeff Becerra. Jeff was in a wheelchair from an unfortunate incident many years ago where he was shot twice during a holdup and is paralyzed from the chest down. But this didn’t stop him from living life and doing what he loves.

Possessed are often considered pioneers of the death metal genre. They started their set going back in time with “Pentagram” from their 1985 album, Seven Churches and let the headbanging and moshing begin. Possessed set the tone for this night of metal and no one was disappointed about it. Add to the great music was excellent lighting with a mixture of colors and light fog. With songs like 1986's “Tribulation” and finishing their short but powerful set was 1987’s “Swing of the Axe”. Possessed said good night to a roaring cheering crowd showing their appreciation for a great start to this night of metal.

Possessed members:

Jeff Becerra – vocals (1983–1987, 2007–present), bass (1983–1987)

Daniel Gonzalez – guitars (2011–present)

Robert Cardenas – bass (2012–present)

Claudeous Creamer – guitars (2016–present)

Chris Aguirre – drums (2023–present)

Setlist:

Pentagram

Ritual

Tribulation 1986

Graven 2019

The Exorcist 1985

Demon 2019

Death Metal 1985

Swing of the Axe 1987

A large curtain with Kreator on it was raised in front of the stage while the stage was being readied for the band. With a strong crowd of metal lovers, a tape started of Iron maiden’s “Run to the Hills” and a roar came up from the crowd followed most of the venue singing along with the song. Standing in the pit, I couldn’t help lip syncing and some light head banging to this great song. The curtain dropped and the thrash metallers opened their set with, “Hate Über Alles” from their 2022 album of the same name and the crowd let out a deathening cheer with arms raised and head banging.

The stage was lit in red and the fog rolled from everywhere and through the fog you could see two giant demons staring out from both sides of the drummer. As the band started their second song, lead vocalist Miland "Mille" Petrozza urged the crowd to open a circle pit. The crowd made a large opening and it was quickly filled as more fans joined in. The crowd this night were definitely fans of metal by the way they moved, sang with the songs with arms up and head banging. Throughout their set Kreator delighted their fans moving back and forth in time with songs, 1997’s “Phobia”, 2005’s “Enemy of God”, 2017’s “Hail to the Hordes”, and 1989’s “Betrayer”.

The onslaught continued through their 16 song set which was topped off with 2001”s “Violent Revolution” and 1986”s “Pleasure to Kill”. A powerful cheer roared from the crowd as Kreator said goodnight. The energy that poured out from the stage with the first two bands was amazing but there was one more band to go.

Kreator members:

Miland "Mille" Petrozza – lead vocals, rhythm guitar[95] (1982–present), lead guitar (1982–present)

Jürgen "Ventor" Reil – drums (1982–1994, 1996–present), co-lead vocals (1982–1989)

Sami Yli-Sirniö – lead guitar, backing vocals (2001–present)

Frédéric Leclercq – bass, backing vocals (2019–present)

Setlist:

Run to the Hills @Tape @Cover

Sergio Corbucci Is Dead @Tape

Hate Über Alles

Phobia

Enemy of God @Info[With 'Coma of Souls' intro]

666 - World Divided

Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)

Hail to the Hordes

Betrayer

Satan Is Real

Mars Mantra @Tape

Phantom Antichrist

Strongest of the Strong

Terrible Certainty

The Patriarch @Tape

Violent Revolution

Pleasure to Kill

With roughly a 30 minute break, a tape of the song “Fight for Your Right” started and the crowd began to sing along. The curtain dropped for Testament to the now rejuvenated crowd who welcomed the band with a roar I thought was unreal to hear. The opened their set with 1988’s “Eerie Inhabitants” and with little encouragement from the band, the circle pit was going strong. Testament's setlist was composed of old school hard hitting fast and pulsating album’s, 1987’s The Legacy and 1988s The New Order and the crowd was loving it. Testament poured out every ounce of energy like they had been doing for over 30 years and the older crowd gave it right back. While pouring out his powerful vocals, Chuck Billy kept urging the crowd to keep the circle pit going.

Throughout their set, the red and colored lights danced through the heavy fog and at times lead guitarist Alex Skolnick would step up and wow the crowd with his powerful solos that mesmerized the crowd. The fast paced heavy sound from the band carried throughout the venue with great classic songs like, “The New Order” (1988), “Apocalyptic City” (1987), “First Strike Is Deadly” (1987), “A Day of Reckoning” (1988), and “The New Order” (1987). This night of amazing and powerful metal came to a close when Testament finished their set with 1988”s “Into the Pit”. Whoever decided to put these 3 bands together for a tour deserves an award if there is one. I think everyone who witnessed this tour slept well that night, I sure did!